SECO Swiss Delegation Visits Cybernics Pioneering Firm

During the visit to Japan of Mrs. Ineichen-Fleisch, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, the Swiss delegation visited the Tsukuba University spin-off “Cyberdyne” outside of Tokyo on June 26. The delegation was received by the company CFO, Mr. Shinji Uga; various products and achievements were presented in their headquarters in Tsukuba, before the whole delegation moved to the nearby located Cyberdyne Studio to see actual patients utilizing the robot suits for rehabilitation. Mrs. State Secretary Ineichen-Fleisch could even try on part of a robotic suit for demonstration purposes. Cyberdyne Inc. is a venture created in 2004 by Tsukuba University Professor Yoshiyuki Sankai. Cyberdyne is a pioneer in cybernics, and develops exoskeleton suits (HAL – Hybrid Assistive Limb) that can supplement, expand or improve physical capabilities. The firm strongly focuses on R&D and aims at further developing robotic technologies to introduce new products and services to the society. As of March 2013, Cyberdyne has more than 330 HAL-Robots suits on lease. An adapted version of the exoskeleton robot suit was used for a clean-up demonstration in Fukushima where workers have to carry armors of up to 60 kg against the radiation. Amid fast growth in Japan, Cyberdyne is expanding internationally, mostly in northern Europe (Denmark, Sweden and Germany), with strong cooperation set up with universities.